“We took a long time to make our decision,” Pete Carroll said about cutting Christian Wilkins. The bombshell rocked Las Vegas. One year into his four-year, $110 million deal, Wilkins was axed. Five games played. Guarantees voided. Done. Classic Tom Telesco madness strikes again. The former Raiders GM burned cash on splashy signings while gutting the roster’s depth. Wilkins at $110 million never made sense. A cheaper, prove-it deal? That’s a different story. Now Wilkins hits free agency — and Chargers fans are dreaming big.

Their potential new defensive tackle could end up terrorizing his former team twice a year. The foot injury that triggered his release raises questions, but talent rarely stays unemployed for long. Carroll’s decision came after lengthy deliberation and a clear lack of a path forward. The spotlight remains as teams circle this newly available weapon.

But the truth behind Christian Wilkins’s shocking release is getting messier. What once looked like a simple injury dispute now appears far more complicated. Jonathan Feliciano dropped a bombshell Sunday, revealing explosive new details. “Christian Wilkins reportedly had an ‘incident’ with a teammate that led to his release by the #Raiders, league sources tell @JosinaAnderson,” Feliciano said.

And he didn’t stop there. The veteran NFL lineman added his own take with brutal honesty: “Brotha always been a lil freaky.” That comment hits differently when you consider the context. Feliciano knows the league inside and out — and his remark suggests this behavior may have started long before Vegas.

The incident details remain murky, but sources paint a disturbing picture. “Sources within the team are being careful and won’t leak many details. One says ‘it was weird… like, a very weird incident,’ per @MitchellRenz365,” according to the report. When NFL insiders use words like ‘weird’ twice in one sentence, something seriously went sideways. This revelation completely reframes Wilkins’s departure. The Raiders initially sold his release as a rehab disagreement. Wilkins hadn’t returned to the offseason program after suffering a setback in his recovery process. The team claimed ongoing disputes about his foot rehabilitation led to the split.

But locker room incidents tell a different story. “If true, it adds to the narrative that Wilkins became an issue in the locker room and that the timing of his release extends beyond his dispute with the team regarding his foot rehab,” the report continued. Multiple sources suggest his problems ran deeper than medical disagreements.

The Raiders moved quickly to fill the void. They claimed Keondre Coburn off waivers Friday, adding depth to the defensive line. “#Raiders awarded DT Keondre Coburn off waivers, per a league source,” Aaron Wilson reported. The 25-year-old former Texas Longhorn brings fresh energy — without the baggage.

Pete Carroll and John Spytek’s new regime wanted a clean slate. They inherited Wilkins from the previous administration but couldn’t stomach what happened behind closed doors. The foot injury became a convenient cover story for deeper issues.

Christian’s injury becomes a convenient excuse for deeper issues

The Raiders just pulled off a $35.2 million heist in broad daylight. Christian Wilkins was cut, and his guaranteed money vanished with him. What looked like a simple injury release now screams of a calculated business move. Las Vegas sold everyone on the foot injury story. Wilkins couldn’t get healthy and disputes over rehab methods. But veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson dropped the real tea.

“Some league sources believe an incident involving a teammate may have factored in — part of — the Raiders’ fatigue and release of defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, beyond the management of his foot injury as the reported predominant cause,” Anderson reported. The plot thickens quickly.

Another source confirmed awareness of a situation where “Christian [was] playing around.” That phrase carries weight in NFL circles. Playing around doesn’t mean goofing off during practice; it suggests something much more serious. Here’s where things get brutal for Wilkins.

The Raiders likely triggered the “personal conduct that has adversely affected” clause buried in his contract. This nuclear option allows teams to void guaranteed money without paying a dime. While full guarantees typically protect players from injury or performance cuts, conduct violations create massive loopholes.

The Raiders have not officially confirmed an incident or complaint involving Wilkins and a teammate. But leaks continue to flow from multiple sources. The timing feels deliberate: releasing him for conduct issues, saving $35.2 million, and publicly blaming the foot injury. This whole mess exposes how NFL contracts really work. Guaranteed money isn’t truly guaranteed when teams find creative ways to get out.

The Raiders used their escape hatch, and Wilkins was played. The foot injury became the perfect cover for deeper issues that nobody wants to discuss publicly.